Korean for Checking One Dish: Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Questions
Learn to ask whether a specific Korean dish is vegetarian or gluten-free, and understand the server's answer in everyday polite Korean.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you eat out in Korea, the useful question is not a general speech about your whole diet. It is a short check about one dish on the table or menu: is this vegetarian, and does it contain wheat or barley? In this lesson you will learn polite question patterns such as i eumsik-e goegi-ga deureo gayo? and i eumsik-e mil-ga-ru-ga deureo gayo?, plus the key words you need to understand the answer: goegi (meat), hae-san-mul (seafood), mil (wheat), and the verb deureo gayo (contains, goes in). You will also practise how to react when the answer is unclear, so you can ask again instead of guessing.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether a specific dish contains meat or seafood.
- ask whether a specific dish contains wheat or barley.
- understand short answers such as ne, deureo gayo and a-nyo, an deureo gayo.
- ask a follow-up question when the answer is not clear.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
이 음식에 고기가 들어가요?
Does this dish contain meat?
i eum-sik-e goe-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo?
Point to one dish or menu item. Polite and direct; suitable for restaurants and cafeterias.
이 음식에 해산물이 들어가요?
Does this dish contain seafood?
i eum-sik-e hae-san-mul-i deu-reo-ga-yo?
Useful because many Korean vegetable dishes include fish sauce or seafood stock.
이 음식에 밀이 들어가요?
Does this dish contain wheat?
i eum-sik-e mil-i deu-reo-ga-yo?
Ask this for gluten-free checking. Wheat is the most common gluten source in Korean sauces and noodles.
이 음식에 보리가 들어가요?
Does this dish contain barley?
i eum-sik-e bo-ri-ga deu-reo-ga-yo?
Barley appears in some teas, mixed rice and seasoned dishes; it is another gluten grain to check.
다시 여쭤봐도 될까요?
May I ask again?
da-si yeo-jjwo-bwa-do doel-kka-yo?
Use when the first answer was fast or unclear. Very polite and natural with staff.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [dish] + 에 + [ingredient] + 이/가 + 들어가요? The particle 에 marks the dish as the container, and 이/가 marks the ingredient you are asking about. For example: 이 김치에 새우젓이 들어가요? (Does this kimchi contain salted shrimp?) and 이 국에 밀이 들어가요? (Does this soup contain wheat?). The verb 들어가요 literally means 'goes in', so it is the normal way to ask what an item contains. To answer, use 네, 들어가요 (Yes, it contains it) or 아니요, 안 들어가요 (No, it does not contain it).
When to use it
Use these questions when you are checking one specific dish, not explaining your whole diet. Point to the dish or menu item and say 이 음식에 고기가 들어가요? If you need to check two things, ask them one at a time: 이 음식에 고기가 들어가요? and then 이 음식에 밀이 들어가요? If the answer is 빠졌어요 (it is left out) or 안 들어가요 (it does not go in), that means the ingredient is absent. If you hear 글쎄요 (I am not sure) or 잘 모르겠어요 (I do not know well), ask a follow-up such as 다시 여쭤봐도 될까요? or ask for the ingredient list.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저기요, 이 음식에 고기가 들어가요?
Excuse me, does this dish contain meat?jeo-gi-yo, i eum-sik-e goe-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo?네, 고기가 들어가요.
Yes, it contains meat.ne, goe-gi-ga deu-reo-ga-yo.아, 그럼 이 음식에 밀은 안 들어가요?
Ah, then does this dish not contain wheat?a, geu-reom i eum-sik-e mil-eun an deu-reo-ga-yo?밀은 안 들어가요. 하지만 간장이 들어가요.
It does not contain wheat. But it contains soy sauce.mil-eun an deu-reo-ga-yo. ha-ji-man gan-jang-i deu-reo-ga-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean restaurants, staff may answer quickly and may not know every ingredient, especially in busy or small places. Asking one clear question about one dish is usually more effective than giving a long explanation of your diet. If you need certainty, ask to see the ingredient list or choose a dish you already know, and keep your tone polite with -요 endings.
One thing to watch for
Asking 이 음식은 채식주의자예요? (Is this dish a vegetarian?)
Try this instead: 채식주의자 means a vegetarian person, not a dish. Ask about the ingredient instead: 이 음식에 고기가 들어가요? (Does this dish contain meat?) or 이 음식은 채식 메뉴예요? (Is this dish a vegetarian menu item?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask whether a specific dish contains seafood?
Show a sample answer
이 음식에 해산물이 들어가요?
This uses the pattern [dish] + 에 + [ingredient] + 이/가 + 들어가요? with 해산물 (seafood). You can also ask about a specific seafood such as 새우 (shrimp) or 조개 (clam).
2A server says 아니요, 안 들어가요. What does that mean?
Show a sample answer
No, it does not contain it.
안 들어가요 is the negative form of 들어가요. It means the ingredient is not in the dish. The server may still mention another ingredient, so listen for 하지만 (but).
3You did not understand the answer. What polite question can you ask?
Show a sample answer
다시 여쭤봐도 될까요?
This means 'May I ask again?' and is very polite. You can also say 천천히 말해 주세요 (Please speak slowly) if the answer was too fast.
To check one dish in Korean, point to it and ask 이 음식에 [고기/해산물/밀/보리]가 들어가요? Then listen for 네, 들어가요 or 아니요, 안 들어가요. If you are unsure, ask 다시 여쭤봐도 될까요? instead of guessing.
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